Gilead Sciences, in collaboration with the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), held the award ceremony for the 10th Edition of the Gilead Biomedical Research Grants at the Teatro Real.
This event reflects Gilead’s commitment to biomedical research and has become the most significant event organized by a pharmaceutical company in Spain, both in terms of investment (around one million euros annually) and the number of projects supported (185) across 13 autonomous communities.
More than 200 attendees, including awarded researchers, health authorities, regulatory bodies, government representatives, key Scientific Societies in the awarded fields, professional associations, and patient groups, were present at the ceremony.
María Río, Vice President and General Manager of Gilead Spain and Portugal, expressed her satisfaction during the opening speech at reaching the 10th edition of these grants. She emphasized how the initiative contributes to a healthier world by providing hope and solutions to those facing challenging diseases. She also highlighted the significance of these grants within Spain’s public research sector, encouraging younger researchers to view the initiative as an opportunity for professional growth and a chance to apply their scientific knowledge to benefit patients.
Validation of the VIGex tool as a biomarker for immunotherapy response
Dr. Alberto Hernando Calvo, a medical oncologist at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and a researcher in the Molecular Cancer Therapy Research Unit (UITM-CaixaResearch) and VHIO’s Cancer Genomics Group, has been awarded a Gilead grant in medical oncology. The project’s aim is to validate the VIGex gene expression signature in real-time as a biomarker for immunotherapy response in immuno-oncology clinical trials. VIGex was developed in collaboration between VHIO’s Cancer Genomics laboratory and the Princess Margaret Cancer Center in Toronto, Canada.
The VIGex tool analyzes the gene expression levels of 12 genes involved in immune response. It classifies tumor samples into three categories: hot, intermediate-cold (I-Cold), and cold, based on the immune response gene expression levels. Tumors classified as VIGex-Hot have been associated with better outcomes from immunotherapy treatments.
The development and validation of VIGex have been supported by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), CRIS Cancer Foundation, BBVA Foundation through the CAIMI I and II Programs, “la Caixa” Foundation, FERO Foundation through the DIAMAV Program, and awards from the University of Toronto and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. The recent Gilead Sciences grant will further support the advancement of this important tool.
